![]() My guess? I must have switched to an online account at some point and probably Microsoft activated that computer with one of the licenses already linked to my account. So the product key displayed by Windows when following any of the guides in this article might not be the correct key, even if the Windows Activation service believes it is. I’m sure the problem is caused by the fact that locally stored keys can date back to the initial Windows version, even if you’ve upgraded to a newer version. Even if on paper, linking the 25-digit product key to your Microsoft account means the key is stored in the cloud and will be retrieved automatically via digital entitlement by running the guides above I’ve found out that two of my computers are using the same license key. Things are rarely this easy when it comes to activating Windows. So, reactivation should be a piece of cake when reinstalling or when moving to a new computer. Normally, I would not need these keys ever again, since all the computers I’ve mentioned are using Microsoft online accounts, and the keys are digitally linked. All good, or at least that’s what I thought. I wrote down in a secure place all my keys, together with the name of the computer where they were activated. I have a hunch about what’s happening, so here are my thoughts: Windows Digital Keys Linked to Your Account Can Show The Wrong Product Key Piece of mind if you’re transferring to a new PC or doing a clean install of Windows 10.Do you know what’s funny about this picture? I’m using Windows 11, not Windows 10. There are only a few times you may ever need your Windows 10 product key, but it’s an important thing to have.įortunately, even if you have a physical key and you lose it, you’re not out of luck and can always dive into your PC and see what it is. Press ‘Enter’ and you’ll now see the product key in front of you. Note that it is case-sensitive, so you’ll need to copy it exactly as below: wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey Now you’ll have to enter the necessary command to see your Windows 10 product key. Open this by right-clicking on the Start Menu and choosing 'Windows Powershell (Admin)'. Click ‘Yes’ at the message box that pops up and the Command Prompt window will open.Īlternatively, you can use Windows PowerShell. In Windows search type 'Command Prompt' and when it appears, right-click and select 'Run as Administrator'. The first step is to open Command Prompt with administrator rights. It’s a good idea to keep this safe in case you ever need it, but if you do misplace it all is not lost - we can definitely help you find your Windows 10 product key so you don't miss out on important updates. If you buy through an authorized reseller, either digitally or receiving a physical box, you will be provided a copy of the product key which you will need to enter manually. If you buy through the Microsoft Store on your PC, the latter will apply. If you need to buy Windows 10, you’ll be given a key either to enter manually or that will automatically be applied to your Microsoft Account. Where to find the Windows 10 product key for copies you purchased It’ll also nag you from time to time as a reminder that you’re not using an activated copy of Windows 10. It’s possible to continue to use your PC with an unactivated copy but you will miss out on a number of features and, crucially, important updates. You can add it during the installation process, but you can just as easily do so afterward.įiguring out how to find your Windows 10 product key is necessary to activate your copy of Windows 10 and gain unrestricted access to its features. It’s no longer necessary to have a Windows 10 product key to install the operating system on a PC.
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